breathe, just breathe
by grapes-day
Summary: The three times Lucas Friar does not let the tears in his eyes fall, and the one time (okay, maybe two times) he lets them flow freely. (Lucas-centric, major Rucas)


1.

"I'm afraid that your son has left me with no choice, Mr Friar," Principal Westerly shakes his head regrettably as he takes off his glasses. He hesitates before he says his next words, as though they weigh heavily on his tongue, while he regards the two Friar males on the opposite end of the table.

 _Please_ , Lucas wants to beg but he cannot. _Please, just give me one more chance. I'll be better. I'll control myself better. Please just don't give up on me._

"Lucas Friar, you are hereby expelled from this school because of your actions yesterday," Principal Westerly speaks the words he has been dreading to hear, and Lucas' breath hitches. "Because you put a student in harms' way and because of the threat you pose to other students, my hands are tied."

Beside him, his mother sniffs and Lucas looks to his father, heart sinking at the look his father shoots him. Bitterness, disappointment and anger all crosses his father's aged face and Lucas gulps before he looked down. Shame courses through him, making his hands shake as he curls them into a tight fist.

"Principal Westerly, please, there has to be something -"

"I'm afraid my decision is final, Annette," Principal Westerly sighs.

Not wanting to stay and hear his mother plea for his hundredth chance in vain, Lucas gets up and leaves the room. He ignores his father's frustrated calls for him to return, and instead, he walks through the school halls one last time. He is aware of the whispers that echo through the halls, and he looks up just in time to lock eyes with his best friends.

Zay, Asher and Dylan start to make their way towards him but stop when Lucas shakes his head dejectedly. Just like that, as heartbreak masks his best friends' youthful faces, Lucas knows that they know that he has been expelled. Asher and Dylan seem to be frozen to their spots but Zay shakes out of his shock. He makes to step forward again but Lucas turns away from him and walks out of West State Middle School for the last time.

He spends the whole evening at Pappy Joe's ranch afterwards, away from his parents and Pappy Joe who are deciding what the best course of action will be for him next and away from the comfort that his best friends try to give him. He spends the evening with Sunshine, his favorite mare and she seems content to have him around as she nuzzles his neck.

For the first time since he lost his temper three days ago because Richard Whittemore had called Zay a derogatory term and refused to apologize, he feels a sense of calmness. That calmness is short lived when he is called back into the house that night and Lucas resigns himself to whatever punishment his parents have decided on.

He is not prepared for the news of them thinking that he needs a change of scenery. He is not prepared to hear that his father has a job opportunity in New York City and that his parents think that this transfer will be a good opportunity for him to start over too. He is not prepared for the myriad of emotions that practically floods him, and the only thing he can do is curl his hands into fists as anger courses through him. He is not aware of how deep his fingernails have cut into his skin until his mother's horrified gasp brings him out of his trance.

He stares helplessly at the blood that drips onto the tiles from his hands, struggling to find the words as his mother scrambles to get a bandage. In front of him, his father crosses his arms and raises his eyes, knowing that his point has just been proven.

This is all on him. This is what he has done and resorted his family to. His father has been in a constant state of disappointment and his mother has been worried about him non-stop. It is time he stopped letting his emotions get the better of him and start being better for them.

Annette tries to wipes his hands but Lucas pulls away, mumbling about how sorry he is before he fleas for the second time that day. He vaguely hears his mother sobbing as his father tells her to leave him be, and Lucas blinks back the tears in his eyes.

Pappy Joe is the one who finds him with Sunshine an hour later, and by then, Lucas just wants the pain in his heart to be numb.

"I've caused them enough heartbreak, haven't I?" Lucas' voice cracks as he looks at Pappy Joe, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I'm going to have to make it up to them. I've caused Mama enough tears."

Pappy Joe does not say anything. Instead, he just nods approvingly at Lucas and for the first time in a while, Lucas feels as though he is doing something right.

"I'll do better in New York," he promises. "I'll talk to someone about my anger and I'll learn how to control them. I'll make Mama and Dad proud. I'll be the perfect son and the perfect student."

Lucas takes a deep breath, his chest heavy as he forces down the tears. He lets out the breath he is holding, and when Pappy Joe pats him on the back, he tells his grandfather, "I'm going to miss you, Pappy Joe."

"I'm going to miss you too, boy," Pappy Joe squeezes his shoulder. "But you make me and your parents proud in New York, you hear me? You learn from this. Is that clear?"

Lucas nods determinedly, his resolve to make his life in New York better stronger than before.

He will do better in New York. He will make his parents and Pappy Joe proud, and he will be proud of the man he will work to be. He will be the perfect son and the perfect student.

He will be okay.

* * *

2.

He is not okay.

 _"You don't have to get angry."  
_

 _"I am angry, Riley! This is not how I wanted to start high school."  
_

She had shaken her head at him then, her lips pursed as she listened to him rant. That should have been the sign for him to stop but instead, her unwillingness to get out of the damn hole had spurred him on.

 _"I want to walk wherever I want. I want to go out for the football team."  
_

Desperation had coursed through him. All he wanted was for Riley to just understand where he was coming from. But then she had uttered the words that made his heart stop and his eyes widen.

 _"Lucas, you'll get killed on the football team."_

He grits his teeth as he throws the football to Zay hard, grateful for his friend when Zay does not say anything about the strength he uses to throw the ball. His best friend just catches it effortlessly and throws it back, waiting for the next throw.

She does not believe that he can make it to the football team. She does not believe that he is strong enough to stand up to those bullies.

She does not believe in him.

That thought fuels his next throw, and he knows he has to stop when Zay winces from the catch. His best friend shakes his hand and stretches his fingers, and Lucas turns away to catch his breath when he realises that he is breathing heavily.

She does not believe in him.

He can feel the familiar thick liquid seep through his fingernails as he clenches his fist and he wills himself to count and breathe like he has been taught to.

Worst of all, he had uttered the words that he knew would hurt her after she had expressed her lack of faith in him. He had lashed out at her, heart aching at the hurt that flashed through her brown orbs when he told her that she was too much for him. He had ignored the plea on her anguished face as he walked away from her.

She practically admitted that she does not believe in him. The girl who believed in him when no one did in Texas during his ride on Tombstone the Bull - whose belief had been the driving force behind his change in New York and believed that he could be a veterinarian - does not believe that he could make it to the football team. She believes in a group of seniors who want nothing more than to humiliate them over him.

And she has been right to because he did not make it onto the team. He had not even made it to tryouts.

When counting does not work and he feels himself breathing even heavier, he lets out a yell and brings his fist up, ready to hit the nearest surface he can bang his fist onto when a strong hand stops him from doing so.

His best friend holds his hand firmly as he shakes his head, and Lucas gulps when he sees the worry in Zay's eyes.

"Breathe, Lucas," Zay coaches him. Lucas slowly lets out the breath he could not let out seconds ago, guided by the rise and fall of Zay's chest as he counts calmly.

"I'm sorry," he says after a while and Zay waves him off.

"I've seen you at your worst and this does not even come close to it," Zay reminds him and as it always does when his past in Texas is mentioned, shame courses through him. "New York has softened you up, bro."

"That's a good thing," Lucas chuckles humorlessly.

"It is," Zay nods in agreement. "So, are we going to talk about the Riley-shaped hole in your heart?"

"She doesn't believe in me and she is right not to," Lucas shrugs, heart aching at the thought. "Have I done anything right these past few months, Zay? I couldn't choose between Riley and Maya and now this whole triangle is getting out of control. I said those horrible things to Riley yesterday. I couldn't protect our friends in those halls. I walked away from Riley, Zay."

"You know, she could have walked away with you," Zay suggests.

"Don't. This isn't her fault. She's Riley and she believes in people and it's one of the things I love about her. And yesterday, I used her insecurities against her," he blinks back the unwanted moisture in his eyes, overwhelmed by all the emotions coursing through him.

These past few months have not been easy on any of the members of their group. Between him not wanting to choose between Riley and Maya so that he wouldn't ruin their friendships and the stress of high school, Lucas is sure that he has never felt more confused in his life.

He has been holding everything in for too long. He had not wanted to burden his friends with how he felt about the triangle nor had he wanted to scare them with his own fears about high school. So, in a desperate attempt to protect them and make them feel safe, he had kept everything to himself and exploded at the moment when he had needed to keep calm.

"What kind of person does that make me, Zay?"

"It makes you human, Lucas," Zay sighs. He settles down beside Lucas on the grass. Lucas sniffs as he desperately tries to hold back the tears that are threatening to spill. "Look, let's just go back to Riley and Maya and apologize to them for walking away. They'll apologize for not going with us. They will forgive us, we'll forgive them, and everything will be better again."

"There is nothing to -"

"Yes, there is," Zay firmly cuts him off. "We should have stuck together but we didn't. That is on _all_ of us, not just you. Get that through your head, man."

"He's right, Huckleberry," a new but very familiar voice pipes up, and Lucas and Zay look up to come face to face with Maya Hart.

There is a softness to her facial features that has not been there for a while, and fondness shines through as she regards them. She gestures towards the exit of the field.

Lucas hastily wipes away the tears at the corner of his eyes, thankful when Maya chooses not to comment on the state he is in.

"C'mon. Riley, Farkle and Smackle will be waiting for us at Topanga's," she tells them as they get up. Disbelief is etched on the boys' faces and she grins at them, grabs them both by the lapels of their sweaty shirts and starts to drag them off the school field.

"Maya," Lucas' soft call makes her stop and both she and Zay look at him. "I didn't mean to - Is she -"

Maya raises her eyes through his stuttering, shoulders tensed, and he wills himself to calm down before he continues to voice his concern.

"Is she okay?" he breathes out finally, and the tension in her shoulders ease at his question. "Will we be okay?"

"Ask her when we make things right," Maya winks at him, and together the three of them make their way to the bakery.

They do make things right that night, and when Maya asks Riley if she still liked him, he waits with bated breath.

He will not blame her if she no longer believes in him. He will not blame her if she says no and that she no longer feels for him what he feels for her. He will not blame her if she lets him go.

Instead, he lets out a subtle breath of relief when she looks at him and he knows her answer before she even says it. Because she still looks at him the way she did in the library a year and a half ago, and her head still tilts to the side as she regards him, her lips curled at the sides.

"I still like him," she affirms gently, and he just blinks at her as his own lips curl at the sides.

They are the last two to stay behind that night, and he helps her clean up the bakery. Zay had offered to walk Maya home to give him and Riley some time to talk, and Maya had gotten the hint.

"I'm sorry," her soft voice brings him out of his thoughts, and he turns from the chair he has just stacked up.

"You're sorry?" he asks in disbelief.

"I was scared for your safety, okay? I mean, you saw Thor. He was huge!" she rambles, eyes downcast as she tries to explain herself and he gapes at her. "I'm not going to lie and say that I am not terrified for you anymore. Because I still am. But you're Lucas Friar and you've always been able to do anything you set your mind on. If football is what you want to do, then I'll be at every game to cheer you on because I believe in you. I'll always believe in you."

Just like that, the weight in his chest from earlier lifts and he strides over to her. He holds out his arms, waits for her to step away, and wraps them around her instead when she steps forward into them.

Slowly, he starts to realise the feeling that has engulfed him: Peace.

"I'm sorry too," he whispers. "I don't ever want you to stop being who you are. You're Riley and you're not too much. You're kind and smart and amazing and I hope you never change the way you are because you're perfect the way you are now."

She sniffs in his arms and once again, he blinks back the tears in his eyes as he basks in the comfort that her being in his arms bring him.

His friends are united again, high school has made him a stronger person and Riley still believes in him. All is good.

He never wants to let go.

When they finally pull away, she gives him a small smile that makes him want to sing. Sooner than he wants though, the smile becomes tight on her face when she says the dreaded words as she fake laughs, "Now, you're going to have to even it up with Maya."

He laughs humorlessly at her forced joke, the weight in his chest returning.

* * *

3.

"Oh, honey," Annette holds out her arms as he gets out of his parents' car, laughing when his mother wraps her arms tightly. From the other side of their car, his father grins at him proudly and Lucas feels his heart soar.

When his mother finally lets him go, his father claps him on the shoulders and says the words Lucas has been waiting to hear since he was thirteen: "I'm proud of you, son, and your Pappy Joe would have been so proud too."

Tears spring into his eyes, and Lucas blinks them back as fast as he can. He is the perfect epitome of happiness as he goes to hug his father, gripping the older man tight as he finally feels redeemed.

This is what he had promised all those years ago on Pappy Joe's ranch. This is what he has worked hard for all these years. And he has gained and grown so much because of how he has fulfilled that promise.

When he and his father pull away, they start making their way to the auditorium. Lucas parts ways with his parents when he sees his friends lingering at the entrance of the school auditorium, and when he joins them, they make an unspoken agreement to head to their final destination in their high school before they graduate.

Riley walks beside him throughout, their hands brushing each others but neither of them actually making the move to slip their hands around each others' like they have done for the past three years. Neither of them say a word as their friends carry the conversations around them. Her presence is both comforting and torturous, and when she opens her mouth to say something at the entrance of the classroom, he just gives her a sad smile and makes his way to his seat.

He does not look up at her when she makes her way to the front of the classroom, nor does he miss the way his other friends share worried glances. Lucas forces the bile in his throat from rising and instead, waits for his favorite teacher to turn up like they predicted.

Mr Matthews comes a few minutes later, and the pride that he feels for them practically radiates from him. His happiness is contagious as Lucas finds himself smiling at the sight of him.

"Shouldn't all of you be making your way to the auditorium soon?" Mr Matthews grins, taking his place behind the teacher's table.

"We're giving you one last chance to teach us something, Dad," Riley speaks up and they all look to her father for guidance like they always have.

"Yeah, Matthews, show us what you got," Maya taunts playfully, but every one of them can hear the quiver in her voice.

Mr Matthews looks at all of them, wistfulness etched on his aged face as he regards each and every one of them as though he is taking in the sight of them for the last time.

Slowly, he picks up the chalk and starts writing a word that further breaks Lucas' heart.

On the board, Mr Matthews has written: Goodbye.

"Secret of life," Mr Matthews voice is gentle as he faces them. "There are many of them that you've learnt over the years here. This one is probably the hardest one you'll have to learn."

"Because it's the hardest word to say," Zay reasons and Mr Matthews nods in agreement, impressed.

"It is, isn't it, Mr Babineaux? Has any of you here actually said goodbye to each other?"

Lucas locks eyes with Riley's right then, and there are tears in her eyes when she looks at him. He suppresses the urge to get up, wipe her tears and wrap her in his arms. He wants nothing more than to take back the goodbye that they bade each other last night. Instead, he looks back to Mr Matthews, gulping when his teacher gives him a sympathetic look.

"I tried saying it to Zay yesterday," Farkle pipes up. "I couldn't. It's funny. We've said that word so many times to each other. Why is it difficult now?"

"Because there's a risk of it being permanent," Isadora suggests, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "Statistics show that majority of high school friendships don't last till the second year of college. Why would we be the exception?"

Silence reigns through the group at her words, and Lucas looks around to find his friends looking anywhere but at each other. Just like he always does when the bond between their group is threatened, he turns to Riley.

He observes her as she wrings her hands, eyes only on them before she looks at her father. Mr Matthews and her share a silent conversation before she turns to Maya and does the same. Then, before he can look away, she turns to him.

Determination mars her beautiful face as she faces him, shoulders straight as she raises her eyes at him and holds his gaze.

"Because we're us and they're them," she says firmly, and their friends look to her. "We'll do our own things and we'll always be there for each other. No matter what, this friendship is something we can always come back to. It's the safety net we can always fall back on."

"That's easier said than done," Lucas finds himself voicing out, doubt creeping into his voice.

"Of course it is," Riley stands up and walks towards him, stopping right at his desk. "But things worth fighting for are rarely easy. And _we're_ worth the fight. Our friendship is worth fighting for."

He gulps at the intensity of her stare, looking away when he can no longer handle the sincerity, love and hope in her eyes. He hears her sigh before she turns back to her father and thanks him for his guidance. She hugs her father tightly, sends one last look to Lucas and then walks out of the classroom in disappointment, the clicking of her heels getting softer as she walks away from them - from him.

One by one, his friends thank Mr Matthews before they leave the classroom, Zay being the last to leave after he squeezes Lucas' shoulder comfortingly.

"She's right, you know," Mr Matthews is leaning against the teacher's table as he proudly praises, "I taught her well."

He wants to chuckle fondly at Mr Matthews words but he just cannot. The weight in his chest is too ridden with doubt and worry that he cannot bring himself to humor his teacher.

Mr Matthews sighs before he asks, "She's not letting you give up Texas A&M, is she?"

"No, she's not, and I'm not letting her give up on NYU either," he finds himself telling his teacher.

"You know, I have to admit that out of all my students, you're the one I'm most proud of after my daughter, Lucas, because of the growth you've displayed," Mr Matthews makes his way to Lucas' table and smiles at him proudly. "You went from being the boy who got thrown out of his middle school in Texas because of his temper to being the recipient of one of the most prestigious scholarships at Texas A&M. You're loyal and unselfish and you have a bright future ahead of you."

Lucas feels his cheeks heat up at the compliments he has been gifted with. Affection surges for the man who has contributed to his success thus far and Lucas finds himself being overwhelmed as the moisture in his eyes sting.

He blinks them back and then tells his teacher, "You're the only teacher who didn't judge me for my past, Mr Matthews. You gave me a chance to grow from the angry teenage boy I was. The man you say I am today? You played a huge role in that and I will always be thankful for you."

Mr Matthews grins at him fondly and Lucas finds himself smiling genuinely, his heart ache from his encounter with Riley easing at his teacher's words. His eyes narrow in confusion when Mr Matthews hands him a yearbook, and he turns to the page that Mr Matthews tells him to turn to.

"Read Topanga's quote," Mr Matthews urges him and Lucas does as he is told.

"I do my thing, and you do your thing. You are you and I am I," his voice starts getting softer as he grasps his teacher's intention. "And if in the end we end up together, it's beautiful."

"I know that if anyone is aware of how difficult it is to maintain a long distance relationship, it is you. I think the last time I heard you talk about your friends in Texas other than Zay was about two years ago," Mr Matthews is spot on but Lucas remains quiet, suddenly choked up. "But have faith in her, Lucas, and believe in yourself. I know all of us do."

Mr Matthews claps him on the back one last time before he leaves the classroom, and Lucas is once again left alone with his thoughts.

* * *

4.

"And now, your valedictorian: Miss Riley Matthews!"

Lucas claps as pride engulfs him at the sight of his girlfriend - no, ex-girlfriend now - walks up to the podium and takes her rightful place behind the mic. He watches as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she opens them and addresses her audience.

"Good morning to our esteemed faculty and my fellow graduates. It is an honor to be standing in front of all of you today as your valedictorian. We have spent the last four years of our lives in this amazing school, making memories we all hope we don't forget. For many of us, this has been our second home," she starts off her speech and continues but he cannot hear anything after that.

He has heard her speech for the past week, has practically memorised it himself, and so all he wants to do right now is take in the sight of her.

She is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen as she stands tall with her head held high at the podium, her dimples dipped as she recounts her speech. He can vaguely hear what she is saying, and tries to commit the melody of her voice to his memory. He never wants to forget her.

"We're probably going to be beaten down more times that we think we can handle," her voice goes soft at her words and he blinks at the new words that were not in her speech three days ago. "And have our hearts broken to the point that we wish that we can feel numb."

Her voice cracks as she locks eyes with him briefly, and his breath hitches at the flitting look that she shoots him before she turns her attention back to the audience. Lucas diverts his attention to his lap, eyes creased in confusion when he feels a tear slide down his cheek and onto his graduation gown.

He softly touches the tears that follow, surprised at the way they cannot seem to be stopped. He desperately tries to wipe them away, wishing nothing more than to feel the numbness that RIley mentioned earlier.

He is going to lose her. He is going to lose the only girl he has ever loved and there is nothing that he can do about it. He will have to get used to life without her in it, and he knows that it is never going to be as bright as it has been with her in his life.

She is the light that has brought him out of the dark countless of times, but she has also been the voice in his head that has pushed him through the hard times. It is her voice that has yelled at the ones in his head that has told him that is not good enough, and her voice who has guided him away from the darkness.

And when he loses her, he will lose his other friends too. He will lose Maya, who will always be by Riley's side no matter what. He will lose Farkle and Smackle who will have no reason to keep in touch with him once they leave for college. He is not even sure if he will still have Zay who will be attending Juilliard and will be as far away from Lucas as their other friends.

Lucas gasps as his chest tightens, and he wills himself to calm down when his classmates around him stand up at Riley's words, "We're not going to fall off the face of the Earth."

He forces himself up, thankful that he has not lost control, and puts the cap on his head as he and his classmates raise their arms above their heads, just as they have practiced.

"There is no end to our horizon," Riley grins at the audience before she thanks them and goes back to her seat.

When their principal announces that their class has graduated, he races from the auditorium as the caps are thrown in the air. The atmosphere in the hall is enough to mask his panic and sobs as he runs out of there and makes his way to the nearest toilet.

He slides down the wall of the male's restroom, and lets out everything he has been holding in for the past few days.

The stress of not being accepted into Texas A&M, the fear of losing Riley and their friends, the overwhelming insecurities of not being able to adapt to college where he will be alone once again - all of these weigh down on him and the grief is overwhelming.

He does not hear Zay and Farkle enter the toilet but he does feel their strong presence beside him. By then, he is too far gone to stop his breakdown and the thought of his friends seeing him - their protector - in such a vulnerable position sends him into another meltdown.

His best friends remain silent throughout, just letting him let it all out without interruptions.

When he is finally done, and he feels the tightness in his chest lighten drastically, he opens his mouth to thank his friends but stops when Farkle's holds up his hand.

"Don't even think about thanking us for being there for you when you've always protected us, Lucas," Farkle shakes his head. "We're always going to be here for each other. Nothing is going to change that."

"Yeah man, these guys are more clingy than Dylan and Asher ever were," Zay grins, and Farkle rolls his eyes.

Lucas lets out a strangled laugh.

"You're not going to lose us, Face," Farkle promises and Lucas believes him. When has Farkle ever lied to him? When has Farkle ever not kept his word?

"You can call them in now," Lucas knowingly raises his eyes at Farkle who is nearest to the door after he wipes away his tears. He is sure that his eyes are still red but he does not care. He wants to spend his last few moments in high school with the people that matter most.

Farkle knocks on the bathroom door, and Lucas is proven right when Isadora and Maya stride in almost immediately. Riley stands at the door, hesitant as she regards him, tears in her eyes when she sees the state he is in.

He holds out his hand towards her, and that is all she needs to see before she enters and grasps it, squeezing in between him and Farkle.

"I'm hopeful for us," he repeats the words he said to her all those years ago when they first started dating and her eyes soften at him.

Riley squeezes his hand and smiles back, "I'm hopeful for us too."

* * *

5\. (A/N: Bonus because I am a sucker for happy endings)

"Riley, you may say your vows."

Riley only has eyes for him as she grasps his hand. Both their hands are shaking as they hold on to one another tightly, neither of them ever letting go again.

"Lucas," she breathes his name as though she cannot believe how lucky she is to be standing in front of him at the altar, and Lucas grins through the tears that have gathered in his eyes. "We've been through so much since I first fell onto your lap on the subway all those years ago. If there is one thing that I am sure of, it is that we will always find our way back to each other because we're meant to be. You're my soulmate, Lucas Friar, and I am proud of our love. I vow to always be hopeful for us, to always listen to you even when you're silent and to always hold your hand through the good times and the bad. I love you so much."

He does not even realise that he is crying until Riley lets go of his hand and wipes away the tears that have fallen from his eyes. She caresses his cheeks, and he leans into her touch.

"Yeah you do," her Uncle Josh, their officiator, gushes and Riley and Lucas chuckle through their tears, as does everyone else. When Maya throws a flower from her bouquet at Josh and signals him to ask Lucas, Josh clears his throat and asks, "Lucas, you may say your vows."

"You're my everything, Riley Matthews," Lucas begins, not caring that his voice is not at all as firm as it usually is. "You're the one who taught me to hope for the best, and to believe in Pluto. You believed in me, and in us, in times when it would have been easier to just give up. You're my strength, Riley Matthews, and I vow that I will always believe in you and in us no matter how bad or hopeless a situation may seem to be. I love you too, and I am so thankful that you fell into my lap all those years ago."

There is not a dry eye on the roof as they take the rings from Maya and Zay and exchange their rings. Everyone there has anticipated this moment for a long while, and they have witnessed the trials and hardships that this couple has gone through.

"Do you, Lucas Adam Friar, take Riley Eleanor Matthews as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Lucas nods.

"And do you, Riley Eleanor Matthews, take Lucas Adam Friar -"

"Yes!"

"Whoa, let me finish first, niece," Josh laughs as Riley bounces. Lucas affectionately squeezes her hand, though he too anxiously waits for Josh to continue.

"Do you, Riley Eleanor Matthews, take Lucas Adam Friar as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Riley nods, excitedly.

"By the power vested in me from the state of New York, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the - oh, okay then," Josh shakes his head when Lucas surges forward and crashes his lips onto his new wife. He grins into the kiss as she wraps her arms around him, and he can taste her tears as they slide down her cheeks. When they finally pull away, he buries his face into her neck and holds onto her tight.

He lets the tears flow freely then, peace engulfing him as he holds her tight and does not let go.

* * *

A/N: Whew! This was kinda tough to write because I can never gauge whether or not I've written Lucas to be OOC. Nonetheless, this is what I came up and I'm pretty happy with it. I hope you enjoyed writing this.

P.S If you're interested to read Riley's speech, you can find it in my other fic 'gave me faith cause you believed' which centers around Cory and Riley's relationship. Thanks for your time!


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